front-end editing

If anyone has used TYPO3, Plone, Reddot, Ektron, Rythmyx or some other CMSs you are familiar with this. This basically allows editors/authors to navigate the site in the CMS and edit content elements in place. Editable content elements are usually denoted with an icon like a pencil or a dot. The selected element then is editable usually in a popup window. There's a lot more to this but those are the basics. I actually don't think it'd be a tremendous ordeal to bolt on the basics of this to MODx. We would have to add a check to the TV creation to note if it should be editable on the front-end or not and then output the appropriate code but it's not too difficult I would think. Thoughts? Anyone else see the value in ease of use for this? With the proper controls in place, authors would never need to see the backend/manager, just browse the "editable" version of the site.

This is something I've longed for for a long time. It makes a LOT of sense from an intuitive standpoint for end-users, and is something that we discussed a long time ago, but that keeps getting pushed back in the game plan.

This is something I've longed for for a long time. It makes a LOT of sense from an intuitive standpoint for end-users, and is something that we discussed a long time ago, but that keeps getting pushed back in the game plan.

I'd love to outline functionality on this one with you, I think we could work up a reasonable spec for someone to tackle. Maybe given all the recent great ideas on feature requests we need a roadmap/priority list. I think you mentioned something about that recently.

Ditto.

And actually I already did this for a client. They have a login link on the right side which presents a login widget in their template. Upon logging in, they automatically have "edit/delete/add a child page" links at the bottom of every page they have access to edit.

There are 150+ editor accounts and none of them has any clue there is even a backend.

Works very well-- and is the client's favorite feature of the entire system.

++ :!:

I love this idea. It will also allow those who are not so web savy / programming orientated to take care of their site with a minimumal amount of hassles and probably the learning curve for the basic user will be that much lesser

Great stuff indeed. In fact this fits in perfectly with the discussions regarding breaking out the manager pieces from their framed prison and other UI enhancements (see discussions at http://vertexworks.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=50. We could most likely share the core document editing code for just about any conceivable back-end (i.e. manager) or front-end layout.

Ditto.

And actually I already did this for a client. They have a login link on the right side which presents a login widget in their template. Upon logging in, they automatically have "edit/delete/add a child page" links at the bottom of every page they have access to edit.

This would be the minimum for front-end editing, having edit/delete, etc. links on each page they have access to. The next step is to have links/icons to edit just individual page elements or sections/containers. As we get more detailed permissions, certain users might only edit certain page sections. For example, a designer might only be able to header images while the author can only edit the teaser and body text. Of course I can't help but think of this example and think of workflow :wink:

There are 150+ editor accounts and none of them has any clue there is even a backend.

I LOVE IT! Just the way it should be. IMHO of course

Ok, I admit -- I'm starting to drool

hehe, I'm sure many have the same opinion

I was wondering why I needed to continue mopping my desk and floor when I realised that it must be becuse my tongue is hanging out of my mouth all the time when I read posts like this. However the proof is in the pudding, the appetite is there but as an absolute programming nitwit who obviously can envision this end-product, I don't know how this cane ver be realised. Infoclipper seems already to have integrated quite some wishes, but no examples to show. Getting rid of frames, front-end editing of TVs by user-permission etc. Too good to be true??

Infoclipper seems already to have integrated quite some wishes, but no examples to show.

Well, you can see the end result at http://www.bryan.edu

It's a site with over 1,240 pages and 150 editor accounts using exactly the things I've been describing. Unfortunately, though, since this is a client's production site, I cannot let you all in the backend.